Friday, September 5, 2008

Hidden n not able to seek

Childhood is all about innocence and energy .The enthusiasm never dies out.The colony where I live carries my fondling memories and I can relate each and every tree or building to an incident.People moved out and in ;I even made good friends but when I think of what I did as a kid,it makes me smile.I am surprised at my own vulnerability.Here is an experience from my good old days.

We (or rather a huge gang of guys and girls) had unique game every season.Once it was hide and seek.Once you start playing a game;you find out the tricks and gradually the interest fades out.Innovative we were;we always framed different rules to make it exciting everyday.The rule of that day was -the girls were called "seekers or catchers" and the guys "hidders or sneakers"(i don't know how we came about names.Now you ask me think of a name for something or someone,my mind freezes.We even named a game "Greaxe") .The game began around 6 p.m.

The girls (as far as I can remember-Gifta,Prathyusha,Amrutha,Ramya,Monisha,my sister and me) started counting.We count till 100.how??1 2 3..8 9 10 and that ten times.he he he..we were math geniuses.By the time we counted,we also cheated.Open our eyes and find out which direction the guys run and even make strategies like which girl has to seek in which direction.

We never went alone when seeking.Not because we were scared or anything but the guys run so fast that it's impossible for 'a girl' to catch 'a guy'(pun unintended and a call for quotas).Gifta and me were the accomplice for the day and we were to seek the darkest and creepiest places as we were the eldest in the gang!!

At this point,I have to atleast describe the colony.It's huge and a paradise on earth.Now and not then.It was under construction or say, not very well built.This gave additional opportunities for guys to hide themselves in every nastiest corners.Some even climbed buildings on the rope that were used for construction that it takes 4 girls(two on the terrace and two down) to catch him.The colony was a complete amaze and a maze.

Gifta and me first went to a place near the car shed.Very dark and spooky.

"Will he be here?"

"I saw him run this direction"

"He must have seen us and taken another"

"Lets anyway try na".

We always spoke.Speaking was like soothing.It made the place seem less scary.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh.....

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttt?? I screamed while both of us took to our heels in some direction.

We looked at each other and slowly went in the same direction.there was something worse than snake.Ranahexadactyla..err..thats the scientific name for frog..huge one..green ..slimy..ok,stop.

Frogs are even scary than snakes.Dont ask how but to us they were.Snakes crawl on seeing us frog jump on us.See- the difference.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh...

Out of that place.

Next,we went on to search every building's terrace.Terrace is a lovely place.Breezy and scary; still lovely.Our favourite hideout due to which it was taken out of "the hidding" places in some games.

We spotted no one and heard shrills all over the place.When we looked down some4 girls were chasing a single chottu guy and he was running for his life(exaggeration but thats how he ran)."prasanth out,prasanth out!!",the chorus was sung to defame and dethrone the guy.

In another hour,a very sweet long hour,all the guys were caught except one-Jobin.Jobin ,Gifta's brother was the athlete of our colony.Unmatched and unsaid king.7 girls and the guys met and discussed strategy yet again.The boys would join our team when they are caught.You might think it's sweet.No,it was annoying.They would keep screaming"Jobin!!run!!Girls on terrace","Jobin run!!Girls in the library".This way, the undisputed king would run to different places.

Each of us went in a different direction talking,discussing and even analysing.30 mins passed..60 minutes passed..90 mins passed..120..ok,stop right there.It was late night.

"where is this fellow hiding?"

"Aswinsolluda"(aswin tell us)

"I dont know".

"nee sonnanallaiku,neeyumnaanum MAD gamela partners"(If you tell me,we will be teammates in the game called MAD).

"I honestly don't know"

We were drained out.Completely.Defeated..oh..that we never agree upon.We were tired "of" the game.

After quite sometime,it was getting panicky.All of us started shouting his name aloud(at the same time annoying all the dhaadhimaa's who were gossiping in the park).We even made the younger guys to check in the gents restroom in the club premises.

"What if he had gone into that Atreya basement?",asked Monisha

Atreya Basement was considered haunted(Not by ghosts,come on, we are practical) by generation of mice.They squeak and we scream.Thats what happens.

"I checked there",said Aswin and we looked at him like he was the God.

We searched frantically and everywhere.So the guy has got a place that no one knew before.

"This is getting scary.What if he suffocated?",I asked.

Everyone glared.This is what happens when you ask sensible questions.

Now everyone began to give an idea like this.

"Stop it!!!!Let's go home",Gifta said.

"Go home?What about Jobin?",Prathyushaasked

"He will come back when he is tired or bored",Gifta said.Jobin and Gifta were siblings and when a sibling says that,all of us had to agree.After 10 minutes of gossip ,we vacated the place.

Sister and I were dead tired.We were half scared and half worried about Jobin.If he told our parents,they would come up with their own theories.Some things better untold. We went to our rooms,acted like studying while discussing where Jobin would have gone.

The phone rang.

"hello subha!!"

"oh Gifta,tell me"

"Jobin has been home since 7!!"

"what??!Oh!!never mind,bye"

"Bye".

I didnt know whether to cry or laugh.Slumped on the sofa and fell asleep.